Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-05-22

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her fais face taking a richer hue and her
eyes an added depth and meaning. She
was in every respect, save one, all that q
man could desire in his wife, and even the
exception was sne that would have stood
to her credit with most men. It was this:
she was not an intellectual woman, al
though she certainly possessed more
than the ordinary share OF
intelligence and work q day
common sense. Now John was a decidedly
intellectual man, and, what is more, he
highly appreciated that rare quality in the
other sex. But, after all, when one is Just
engaged to a sweet and lovely woman, one
does not think much about her intellect.
Those sort Of reflections come afterward.
And so they sauntered hand in hand
through the sunny days and were exceed.
ingly happy. Least Of all did they allow
the rumors which occasionally reached
them from the great Boer gathering al
Paarde Kraal to disturb their serenity.
There had been so many of theserumors OF
rebellion that folk were getting to regard
them as q chronic state of affairs.
"0h, the Boers!' said Bessie, with a
pretty toss of her golden head, as they
were sitting one morning on the veranda.
"I'm sick to death of hearing about the
Beers and all their got up talk. know
what it is; it is Just an excuse for them to
20 away from their farms aud wives and
children and idle about at these great
meetings, and drink square face with theiI
mouths full Of big words. You see what
jess says in her last letter. People in
Pretoria believe that il is all nonsense from
beginning to end, and I think they ART
perfectly right"
by the way, Bessie, asked John, ''hay,
You written TO jess telling her of our en-
g~agement?"
"Oh, yes; I wrote some days ago, but thu
letter only went yesterday. She will b
pleased to hear about it. Dear old jess
| wonder when she means to come home
again. She has been away long enough
John made no answer, but went oil
smoking his pipe IN silence, wondering !
jess wOuld be pleased. He did not under
stand her yet. She had gone away just a
he was beginning to understand her.
Presently he observed jamie sneakinl
about between the orange trees as though
be wished to call attention to himself
Had he not wanted TO do 30 he woult
have moved from one To the other in sucl
a way that nobody could have seen him
His partial and de~sultory appearance in
dicated that he was on view.
"Come ont of those trees You little ras
cal, and stop slipping about like q snake
in a stone walln shouted John. "What
is it you want-wages?"
Thus adiured, jamie advanced and sa
down on the path as usual, in the Iul
glare of the sun.
mo, bass," he said, at is not wages
They are not due yet"
"What is it then? ?"
mo, baas, it is this. The Beers hav,
declared war on the English government
and they have eaten up the r~ooibaaijes a
Bronker's Spruit, near Middelburg. Jou
bert shot them all there the day before yes
terday."
what" shouted John, letting his pip
fall in his establishment. stop, though
that must he q lie. You say near Middel
burg, the day before yesterday; that woul'
be December 90 When did you hear this?'
"At daybreak, haas. A Basutu told me.
'"Then there is an end of it. The new
could not have got here in ~thirty-eigh
hours. What do you mean by coming t
me with such a tale?'
The HottentOt smiled. ut is quit
true, baas. Bad news never flies like
bird" and he picked himself up ant
slipped off TO his work.
Notwithstanding the apparent impossi
bility Of the thing, John was considerable.
disturbed, knowing the extraordinar.
speed with which news does travel anon.
Kahirs; more swiftly, indeed, than tn
swiftest mounted messenger can bear ii
Leaving Bessie, who was also somewha
alarmed, he went in Search of Silas Croft
and. finding him in the garden, told hin
what .Jantie had said. The old man di,
not know what to make of the tale, but
remembering Frank Muller's threats, h
shook his head.
"If there is any truth in it that villain
Muller has a hand in it," he said. "Il
90 TO the house and see jamie. Give m
your arm, John"
He obeyed, and, on getting TO the top q
the steep path, perceived the stout figur
of old Hans COetzee, who had been his hos
at the shooting party, ambling along OH hi
fat little pony.
''Ah," said old Silas, ''here is the ma,
who will tell us if there is anything in
all"
Good day, ON Coetzec, good day." h
shouted out in his stenatorian tone. "Wha
- .., l..n, 18th ,n,Dff
The jolly looking Boer rolled AWKWARD,
off his pony before answering, and, throw
ing the reins over its head, came TO NEE
them.
"Allemachter, ON Silas, it is bad news
You have heard of the bymakaar meeting
at Paarde Kraal. Frank Muller wantet
me to 90, but | would not, and now the.
have declared wal on the British govern
ment, and sent a proclamation to Lanyon
There will be fighting, ON Silas; the LAM
will run with blood, apd the poor rooibaat
ices will be shot down like buck"
1.-THE poor Beers, you mean" grOwle'
John, who did not like to hear her males
tvs army talked of in terms of regretfu
pity. -.
ON Coetzee shook his head with the al
of one who knew all about il, and thei
turned au attentive ear To Silas Croft
version of ,Jantie's story.
"Allemachter!" groaned Coetzee, "whs
did | tell you? The poor rooibatjes shot
down like buck, and the land running
with blood. And nov that Frank Mule
will draw me into it, and | shall have u
20 and shoot the poor rooibaatjes, and
can't miss; try a hard as will, | can
miss. And when We have shot them all
suppose Burgers will come back, and he i
kranish mad. Yes, yes; Lanyon is bad
Burgers is worse" and the comfortable
old gentleman groaned aloud at the trou
bles in which he fOreSaw he would be in
yolved, and finally took his departure b.
kbridle path over the mountain, sayini
that. as things had turned out, he woul'
not like it to he known that he had beef
calling on an Englishman.
John" said Silas Croft, suddenly
You must go up to Pretoria and fetcI
jess. Mark my words, the Beers will be
siege Pretoria, and if we don't get he
down at once she will be shut up there"
ooh, no." cried Bessie, in sudden alarm
~ cannot let John CO."